I've Gotta Be Me

Infobox Single
Name = I've Gotta Be Me


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Artist = Sammy Davis, Jr.
Album = I've Gotta Be Me
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B-side = "Bein' Natural Bein' Me"
Released = 1968
Format = 7" (45 rpm)
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Genre = Traditional pop, Adult contemporary
Length = 2:53
Label = Reprise Records
Writer = Walter Marks
Producer = Jimmy Bowen
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"I've Gotta Be Me" is the title of a popular song that first appeared in the Broadway musical "Golden Rainbow", which starred Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gormé. The musical opened in New York City at the Shubert Theatre on February 4, 1968 and closed less than a year later, on January 11, 1969. The music and lyrics for the musical were by Walter Marks and were composed in 1967; the production was based on a book by Ernest Kinoy. This song was listed in the musical as "I've Got To Be Me", and it was sung by Lawrence's character Larry Davis at the end of the first act. Lawrence released the song as a single in 1968, and it hit #6 on the "Billboard" Easy Listening chart (later known as the Adult Contemporary chart), with little or no support from traditional Top 40 radio.

Singer Sammy Davis, Jr. recorded the song later in 1968 while the musical was still running on Broadway, altering the title slightly to "I've Gotta Be Me", and released it as a single late in the year. This version of the song proved to be a surprise hit for Davis, since the musical was not among the more successful shows on Broadway that season. Produced by Jimmy Bowen, Davis' cover version of the song peaked at #11 on the "Billboard" Hot 100 chart in early 1969 and remained in the Top 40 for 11 weeks. This was Davis' third highest charting single on the Hot 100 chart during his career; "Something's Gotta Give" had reached #9 in 1955, while "The Candy Man" would hit #1 in 1972. In addition, the song spent seven weeks at #1 on the Easy Listening chart. The song appears on Davis' album, which was also titled "I've Gotta Be Me".

Although recorded past the peak of his musical career, both "I've Gotta Be Me" and "The Candy Man" are considered to be Davis' signature songs, as both songs are identifiable with Davis although they had been performed by other artists as well.

Other artists who have recorded or performed "I've Gotta Be Me" include Ella Fitzgerald, Stevie Wonder, Tony Bennett, and The Temptations.

References and external links

*Whitburn, Joel (1996). "The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits", 6th Edition (Billboard Publications)
* [http://www.ibdb.com/production.php?id=3121 "Golden Rainbow" production info at ibdb.com]
* [http://www.discogs.com/release/1327180 Single release info at discogs.com]